January 29th readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Exodus 8:1-9:35 ~ Matthew 19:13-30
Psalm 24:1-10 ~ Proverbs 6:1-5

Old Testament - Today in Exodus chapters 8 & 9 we read about many of the plagues!   I've got to say, for some reason the plague of frogs really resonated with me in today's reading.  I'm not sure why - but for some reason I could really envision frogs being everywhere...  and how disgusting this would truly be...

An interesting thing I read in the Tyndale commentary today is that the plagues in some ways were direct attacks on the Egyptian "gods".  For example, the Egyptians had a god named Hopi, who was god of the Nile river.  Hopi couldn't stop the river from turning to blood. They had a cow-goddes named Hathor, who couldn't stop the livestock from dying.  They had a sun-god named Amon-Re who couldn't stop darkness from coming over the land. (in tomorrow's readings).  God's plagues were going after these false gods - and showing to Pharaoh and the Egyptians, and the Hebrews too I think, who the one true living God is, was, and forever shall be.  Did you ever stop and wonder if there were masks out there that depicted the various plagues of the Exodus?  Me neither.  But they exist -

Chapter 8 verses 18 & 19 stand out - "Pharaoh's magicians tried to do the same thing with their secret arts, but this time they failed. And the gnats covered all the people and animals. "This is the finger of God!" the magicians exclaimed to Pharaoh." The magicians tricks were beginning to fail!  They realized that God was creating the plagues with their exclamation, "This is the finger of God!"  God's name & fame was becoming known.  Have you seen or experienced the finger of God in your life?  Below is a super-sized image that will give you an idea of the grossness of the plague of gnats -

Chapter 9 verse 16 is powerful - "But I have let you live for this reason--that you might see my power and that my fame might spread throughout the earth."  In the New Testament, Paul quotes this verse in Romans 9:17, which we'll view in context here from Romans 9:14-18 - "What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.  For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden."   Wow... great stuff in this Roman's verse... it does not depend on our desire or effort, but in God's mercy.  Do you believe in God's mercy?  Will you relinquish any of your desire or effort over to God's mercy?  As you probably have seen by now, I'm trying to cover many of the plagues in today's readings with images... so now I give you pharaoh and the flies -  :)

Exodus chapter 9 verse 20 is also powerful, as we read about some Egyptians beginning to believe in God - "Some of Pharaoh's officials believed what the LORD said. They immediately brought their livestock and servants in from the fields."  How about us today?  Do we believe what the Lord says?  Like these Egyptians in this instance, do we then also immediately do what the Lord says?  In verse 27 Pharaoh finally confesses his sin - "Then Pharaoh urgently sent for Moses and Aaron. "I finally admit my fault," he confessed. "The LORD is right, and my people and I are wrong."  Though he doesn't stay repentant for long.  How about us - do we confess our sins to God - and then not stay repentant for long?  Can we instead confess our sins to God and make a complete U-turn - go completely in the other direction and not look back?  Below we have the plague of hail - and I guess that fire is from the lightning strikes...

New Testament - Today in Matthew 19 we read some challenging verses about the Rich Young Man.  I have read some commentaries say that we don't need to take Jesus' words literally that each of us must sell all of our goods and give to the poor.  However, these words in context to this rich young man were indeed to be taken literally by him - and he knew it.  He wouldn't do it.  Jesus called him to do this, I think, because the young man's "stuff" was an impediment to his relationship with God.  Perhaps the young man literally valued his stuff more than God.  So - while the commentaries say that we don't have to take Jesus' teaching to this young man literally, I do think we should keep in mind that Jesus may ask of us something along these lines.  To follow Jesus, he may ask us to pack up and become a missionary.  Or maybe he'll ask us to leave a high powered, high paying job, to go serve the poor in our town.  Or he may ask us to not spend our money on luxury items, but to invest in micro credit loan programs in third world countries.  So - while this may seem like Jesus was asking a lot of this rich young man, keep in mind that Jesus asks a lot of each of us.  And really, Jesus simply asks us to follow him.  Will you follow Jesus?  No matter the cost?  No matter what you have to "give up"?  Will you follow him?  Below is a painting by Heinrich Hoffman from the late 19th century of Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler -

Psalms - Psalm 24 is a beautiful Psalm!  Check out this brief snippet of commentary on this Psalm from bible.org - "The Israelites have returned from a battle with the Canaanites. They are proceeding up to the sanctuary on the holy mount to give praise to Yahweh for the great and mighty victory in battle, carrying with them the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of Yahweh’s presence with them. As they approach the gate, they are met by the Levites who function as gatekeepers. It is their part to ask who may enter the sanctuary of the Lord; and it is the priests’ part to answer with the stipulations from the Law. Whoever meets these qualifications may enter and fellowship with Yahweh....The psalm then concludes with the worshipers calling to the gates to make way for Yahweh to come in to His sanctuary, for why should the King of Glory stoop to go under a doorway? "  This quote is from, and there is much more commentary on Psalm 24, at bible.org at this link.  (also, any Chris Tomlin fans out there will definitely recognize this Psalm - on his latest CD "Arriving" I think the 2nd or 3rd to last song is called "King of Glory" based on this Psalm - it's the best song on his overall fantastic CD in my humble opinion! :)

Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 6 verses 1 through 5 were intriguing to me.  I guess my first thought was that getting our own selves in debt is bad enough - but then to be a guarantor for our friends debt?  Well, these verses certainly warn against doing this.

Comments from you & Question of the Day - Based on the Proverbs verses going into debt, does anyone have debt-relief resources, websites or books you could share with everyone in the Comments section below?  I've heard Financial Peace University is good and I hear there are some other good Christian financial management / debt relief books & seminars out there.  I'm personally not that familiar with them - well, I did run sound once at a church for a 4 hour session on one of these seminars once, and it was quite good....  it's amazing how wise it is to be out of debt and to save $.  I've often heard that it is wise to tithe 10% of income and save 10% of income with each check that comes in.  What's your reaction to this type of formula?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

Grace,
Mike

Comments

[John]

Mike's ?
re: giving

Psalm 24:1
"The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,.."

That is the way I see it.

If you are blessed above average then, in my opinion, one should make note of the following comment.

"Proportionately: In the New Testament, set amounts of compulsory giving (as in the tithe) have been replaced by the grace principle of voluntary, purposeful, and proportionate giving. The new standard for today is “as He may prosper” (1 Cor. 16:2),...."

- from bible.org link in Mike's commentary

I like the "guidelines for giving" (scroll down) and the explanations given at this link.

[John]

oops - link is:

http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=813

It was not in Mike's commentary, but is from bible.org

[John]

Matt 19

God knows your heart. He wants the whole package, and especially the one thing you covet the most. In this case, it was riches. In mine it was unbelievable stubborn pride that wanted to intellectually acknowledge Jesus, but still do things my way.

In my testimony I said, "when" I finally submitted my will to God's I was saved. I did not mention that it took almost ten occasions of prayer over two weeks.

I may have been in the process as my pastor says the whole time, but the Holy Spirit did not enter me until that tenth night. Not until I was completely broken (and I mean broken)and screaming and sobbing to God, promising him everything: allegiance, submission, and obediance, did I KNOW I was saved.

Every one is different. This is just my story. I like John MaCarthur. Some think he is a little tough to take on certain issues. Salvation is one of them. Here is a quote of his:

"Salvation demands two things: Acknowledging your offense to God and leaving your present priorities and following Christ's commands, even if that should cost you what is dearest to you? Salvation is a commitment to leave sin and follow Jesus Christ--at all costs. If you're not willing to be saved on those terms, Jesus won't take you." - John MaCarthur

[Roslyn]

Comments to Jeff's comments:

..we don't need to strive to be perfect. I disagree. God helps those who help themselves first---acknowledging your sinful ways first as John puts it, is the firts major step in moving toward "perfection" or being imperfectly perfect.
Faith can move mountains but we have to move our little mountains first.

I think the use of the "Rich Young Man" in Matthew gives us the impression that it is probably so much better to work with someone young whose mind is still pliable, flexible, receptive and responsive and so much more easy for him to give up his wealth but even that did not happen.

At this point I'm reminded of an old movie about St. Francis of Assissi "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" (by Zefferelli?) who gave up his family's wealth and went on to live a poor and simple life and eventually built a Church and community. The meeting/confrontation with the pope was a very powerful scene: St Francis sitting down on the marbled floor in rags and the pope on his "throne" with all his power and glory. (If anyone can help me find this old movie I'd appreciate it. I showed it to my 6th grade religion class years ago in CA)

[Roslyn]

God hardened Moses' heart to manifest his power over the powerful and using that same power to carry out his plan. "But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power.."
If he did not harden Moses' heart then it would have been a different story, isn't it? Much like making a movie and its plot being carefully followed. Obviously God makes up the "plot" and things have to happen according to that plot.
Indeed, the narrative of the plagues shows us once again that God is the Uncaused Cause.

[Roslyn]

The analogy of "the little children" is a beautiful imagery for me. We've lost much of our innocence if not completely as we, our thinking and our lives, get more complex and/or complicated. We've forgotten to be humble, in fact we don't even know how anymore. We refuse to be flexible, receptive and response for we have gotten used to the comforts and routine of our daily lives. Our curiosity, spontaneity, and open-mindedness have all been set aside for as adults we seem to "know everything" or we have become "experts" at something.

Indeed, unless we become like "little children," we'll never see God's kingdom or partake of it here on earth!

[John]

"God helps those who help themselves first"

I found out a few months ago, that this is not from the Bible. I was shocked.

GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES - "Some faith adages roll off the tongue, like 'God helps those who help themselves.' But the saying is not biblical and, in fact, violates a primary scriptural teaching that only God determines a person's destiny, according to religion analyst George Barna (the phrase) is an ancient proverb that shows up in the literature of many cultures, including a 1736 edition of Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac.

As opposed to:

Jer 17:5 (NIV) This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD."
Prov 28:26 (NIV) He who trusts in himself is a fool...

[Veronica]

Re: "God helps those who help themselves first"

You're 100% right John. Those who help themselves usually end up with more problems. I remember hearing the proverb "One man's words are breath to another's nostrils" and I read proverbs trying to find it, as proverbs of the Bible were the only proverbs I knew of at the time. And as you can see my name being Veronica many have asked if I was named after Veronica who had wiped Jesus' face. I looked that up and it is nowhere in the Bible.

Did anyone notice how the Egyptian magicians only made matters worse by copying the plagues rather than making them go away?

[debby]

Mike,
In your weekly edition you said:
The significance of Passover was that God was introducing the concept of a sacrifice.....

God had already introduced the concept of a sacrifice and, though not said directly, I believe this may have been the reason God was displeased by Cain's offering.
Genesis 8:21, especially Genesis 22:7-13 and other times of altars and sacrifices in Genesis/Exodus pointing forward to Christ's sacrifice.
Thought: why are the Israelites (Jews) not still offering sacrifices today if the promised Saviour has not yet come?

[FishermanDave]

Hey Guys- before leaving the notion of "God helps them who help themselves", God asks Moses "what do you have in your hand?" when Moses frets about getting in front of Pharoah (a staff). Jesus asks "What do you have?" when the disciples fret about feeding the thousands (some fish and loaves). It seems that, sometimes, God expects some initiative and action on our part before showing His glory. Of course, He doesn't need us to bring His Kingdom, but He has taken the risk and chooses to work through broken man. I find that when I pray for those in need, I hear God telling me "Try doing something yourself. You can offer a word of encouragement, money, or whatever is needed. I'll meet you there. " Have a blessed day!

[veronica]

Debby,
RE: Thought: why are the Israelites (Jews) not still offering sacrifices today if the promised Saviour has not yet come?

I can't think of the scripture but I know that the Jews(of the Old Testament)had to go to the Temple in Jerusalem to sacrifice. There is no longer a Temple so they have no place to sacrifice. Also Jews of today consider themselve Israelis (sp). If anyone can find scriptures please do so it would be appreciated.

[Ramona]

Exodus 8:1-9:35

Irrational, Illogical and Unreasonable, that is the mental state of the latter Pharaoh. That is the state of someone’ mind who is in sin, in this case, deep in sin. According to the writer of Proverbs, he is a fool because a fool cannot be reasoned with or even see reason (Prov. 12:15;17:10,16;26:12).

The first time we see these three character flaws in the Pharaohs is when the order goes out to have all the male infants killed. From a business and economic point of view that is a stupid move. Egypt’s economy was based on slave labor thus the death of all the males would over time deplete your work force. Now we see the current Pharaoh, or it’s the same ole’ Pharaoh, but now he is an older fool, actually increasing his own people’s misery, the people he is suppose to be protecting. I don’t know but I hope if I had had an up close and personal relationship with a bunch of frogs, I trust that I would begin thinking about the power, or precisely the lack of power my gods, were showing and rethink my belief systems. And if asked for a timetable to get rid of said frogs, I wouldn’t say tomorrow, I would say, “Right Now! Thank you very much.”

Now regarding God hardening Pharaoh’s heart bear with me as I use an illustration. In Biblical Text, both Old and New, soil and or the ground has been used as simile for the heart of man. We find this in the Parable of the Sower (Matt 13:3-9,19) and in the Prophets Jeremiah (4:3) and Hosea’s (10:12) writings. God can either harden your heart, like Pharaoh, or soften your heart, like the Apostel Paul, based on the condition of the soil and the environment you allow yourself to live in.

Two people can have a garden separated only by a fence. One person constantly “works” the soil and keeps it watered, the other does not. Seeds are sown in both patches of land. When the sun (Son) comes up and it is in the heat of the day, the seeds sown on the soil that is worked will produce a crop of what has been planted, but that same sun (Son) will cause the unworked unprepared ground to harden further giving the birds a firm table to eat from.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

[Ramona]

Debby--If you "Google" the words, "Temple Sacrifice" you will find many useful sources. I will post the link of one I just read and which is not to extensive, http://www.beingjewish.com/unchanged/sacrifices.html. There are a few which are very lengthy.

May I ask those who are new to reading through the Bible to exercise patience as many of your questions will be answered as we read the bible. When I began reading through the bible 17 plus years ago, I didn't do it with a group and I didn't have the money to purchase commentaries, so I either made mental notes to myself or asked God why. Everyone of my questions were answered in the scriptures, though it may not have been in the time frame I wanted but the answers appeared at the right time.

[Ramona]

Regarding the Rich Young/Old Ruler (He could be anyone of us no matter our gender). Please note that Jesus did not recite to him the entire 10 Commandments. The Commandments are broken up into two parts, man’s relationship with God, man’s relationship with each other. Jesus only gave him the Commandments that dealt with man’s relationship with each other not the ruler’s relationship with God, that relationship with the one that was off. If you don’t have the first half of the commandments down pat, you will not be able to do the last half. Keeping that in mind if you go back and reread the story again, you will find a deeper meaning to what Jesus was trying to teach that young man.

[John]

Fisherman Dave

Good point.

To me it is about orientation. If we are oriented initially towards God in prayer and thought, and then take action - that is no problem.

If we are oriented inward, toward ourselves, take action and expect God to jump in with help. Well, he may or may not, depending on his soverign plan. the problem is leaving God out of the equation in the initial phase.

If Christ is the example, we know that He kept the Father in the initial phase of any situation. He constantly prayed in the Will of God, and did nothing the Father did not tell him or allow him to do. (sort of a paraphrase from gospel of John and I am sure we will talk more about it when we get there.)

Of course our communication is not as highly tuned as Christ's, but the example of praying and consulting first should be the object lesson.

Jesus was adamant that people keep his commandments which are 'not grievous', saying "If ye love me, keep my commandments" and making other statements about our need to obey. Why would he do so if after his death on the cross the Law, the Ten Commandments, would be done away? He never made any suggestion that they would be optional!

Also, if the Holy Spirit is supposed to be our guide and helper, it seems to me that he would be the one to enable us to keep the commandments. Instead, some churches today teach us that since we can't keep the commandments, we are excused from trying very hard, which makes Jesus a liar and the Holy Spirit a fraud! How can this be?

Thank you.

[Joy]

In england we have a group called Christians against poverty who assist people no matter what their income who have got into debt.They work through local groups which have to be attatched to a church.I dont know their website address but i know they have one.

[Ramona]

Anonymous,

I don’t think anyone has posted that we don’t have to keep the Law. The point is when one is in Christ and has a relationship with Him, the one who came to fulfill the Law, we through Christ keep the Law. There is no way that we can keep the Law and the Law is more than the 10 Commandments. The Ten Commandments are like our bodies’ skeleton, there are other Laws (muscle, sinews and flesh) that hang on that skeleton.

By the way, scripture says that you just can’t break one law for there are at least 613 laws. If you just break one, even if you rationalize that out that it was a little one, a “white” lie one so you can justify yourself, the text says you have broken ALL 613 of them.

If indeed you [really] fulfill the royal Law in accordance with the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as [you love] yourself, you do well. [Lev. 19:18.] But if you show servile regard (prejudice, favoritism) for people, you commit sin and are rebuked and convicted by the Law as violators and offenders. For whosoever keeps the Law [as a] whole but stumbles and offends in one [single instance] has become guilty of [breaking] all of it.
(James 2:8-10 AMP)

When we get to the part of the Pentateuch that describes all the offerings and sacrifices one had to present, burnt, sin, guilt, wave etc. we will see that the Temple Alter was just one big “barbeque.” (Folks that is a joke).

Jesus is our sacrifice once and for all, it is when we come to understand not only what Jesus has done for us and realize He is all that we need, then our fleshly desire to steal, commit adultery, fornicate, covet, etc, will fall away and we will rest in what He has done for us.

Also I need to correct a word. In my comment about the Rich Ruler I wrote:

“Jesus only gave him the Commandments that dealt with man’s relationship with each other not the ruler’s relationship with God, that relationship with the one that was off.”

It should have been:

“Jesus only gave him the Commandments that dealt with man’s relationship with each other not the ruler’s relationship with God, that relationship WAS the one that was off.”